32

Well, it was fun if at times a little worrisome having Jennry Mejia around. I liked the way he stood on the mound and squared up to the batters, his posture was as distinct as that of teammate Johan Santana. I also liked his stuff even though it got hit hard and thrown out of the strike zone more often than you'd prefer to see.

I was not among those smartyfarty fans denouncing his very presence on the team as some kind of crime against his development. He may have struggled for that 3.25 ERA but he did it, against big league competition, on the way to being a starter, at age 20, and if that doesn't provide you with some confidence he'll be back and he good when gets here, I'm not sure what will. We'll keep 32 around for ya.

Mejia's replacement from AAA, and last season, will be Bobby Parnell, back in No. 39. Parnell was last year's version of Fernando Nieve -- successful early, then worked within an inch of his life before making an abrupt few starts once the Mets ran out of ideas. I liked his stuff his stuff too, and I think he'll help the bullpen.

Ready or not, here they are. It's been a weird offseason (Omar general managed like someone whose job wasn't on the line) and an odd spring (thyroid issues, knee surgeries, controversially aggressive promotions, and not nearly enough solid performances, especially from the pitchers) but at 1 p.m. today, they go to war.

I wish I felt a little better about just what this group is going to bring us, but I sort of admire that it was assembled with a minimum of stunts, a good deal from within, and that expectations are back where they probably ought to be for a team with questionable starting pitching, an unproven bullpen and a few too many outmakers in the lineup. But let's be optimistic on opening day. There a chance we shove it up all their asses. There's a good crop of prospects on the horizon; and let's face it, there's little holding them back. They finally seemed to do something about CitiField's relentless blandness. Bring it on.

We welcome Ryota Igarashi, Hisanori Takahashi, Jenrry Mejia, Ruben Tejada, Jason Bay, Henry Blanco, Rod Barajas and Frank Catalanotto to the All-Time Roster (likely players 875 to 881). Thanks to the fans who wrote in to inform me that Tejada will wear No. 11 and Mejia No. 32. Chip Hale and Dave Jauss join the coaching ranks for the first time, while Alex Cora, Mike Jacobs and Gary Matthews Jr. return to the Mets in new numbers.

Let's Go Mets!

PS -- Thanks to MBTN reader Glenn below who indicated that this year's bat boys would wear No. 00.

The Mets tonight welcome a healthy Pedro Martinez back to the team, hopefully to stay awhile but you never know. To make room they optioned newly activated reliever Carlos Muniz. Claudio Vargas in the meantime got a sudden introduction to his new role as a long man, mopping up for irritating lefty Oliver Perez after the Giants bashed Perez for six momentum-eviserating runs in one-third of an inning Monday.

The arrangement saves a starting assignment for Mike Pelfrey, who, for all of his struggles has turned in more quality starts with a lot less hype than, say, Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy combined. Oliver Perez too for that matter.

Pelfrey may not ever be the guy the Mets hoped he'd be when they called his name in Omar Minaya's first draft as head honcho three years ago this week, but finding that out is the right thing to do.

Speaking of anniversaries, it was 10 years ago this Sunday that while playing ultimate frisbee in Yonkers, I collapsed to the turf with what would later be diagnosed as a ruptured Achilles tendon. Aside from effectively ending a maniacal pursuit to become the world's most famous frisbee player, the coming months off my feet for surgery and subsequent rehab would lead to the even stupider quest to chronicle every uniform number in Mets history.

Stop us if you heard this before: The Mets on Tuesday sent ineffective reliever Matt Wise to the disabled list for the second time this year and for the second time this year, recalled New Orleans closer Carlos Muniz to replace him.

As you might also know, Wise's arrival over the offseason inadvertently triggered Muniz to switch from his first-issued No. 38 and alight in 32, which he was also dressed in earlier this year.

As you also already know, the Mets held an especially unsatisfying press conference Monday during which Omar Minaya acted as if he didn't want Willie Randolph fired and Randolph continued pretending his team was OK and plays hard for him. They gave vaguely encouraging lip-service to a need to try and improve the team and suggested they had a lot of the same ideas (such as?) while perpetuating the myth that Randolph's remarks to Ian O'Connor deserved the attention and scrutiny they received, and that Randolph necessarily had anything to apologize for but the revolting play of his team.

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A few more book-related events this week not to be missed: Tonight (actually Wednesday morning at 1 a.m., along with Matthew Silverman, guesting live in-studio on the Joey Reynolds Show on WOR-radio (and simulcast nationwide). You can listen to an archive of the event at the same address.

On Friday May 30, Matthew and I will host a book signing and pregame schmoozing at LaGuardia Holiday Inn's Pine Bar & Restaurant, at 5:30 p.m. Come on over, have a drink, buy a book for your Dad, or get yours signed. Afterwards we'll hoof it to Shea and catch the return of Joe Torre.

The Mets on Thursday reassigned longshot reliever candidates Carlos Muniz and Willie Collazo to their minor league camp, and by doing so freed up numbers 32 and 36, respectively. Jason Vargas, who was assigned a different number this spring (39) than last year (43), also left to have surgery and is out for awhile, the Daily News said.

As you might not care to remember, Muniz and Collazo were among the desperate moves the Mets found themselves forced to make as a collective suck infected the bullpen last September and, along with unreliable starting pitching, too many guys getting picked off first base, lack of hustle, lack of focus, lack of brains, lack of courage, overconfidence, underconfidence, stupid decisions, and a few things that didn’t go our way, cost the Mets the division they probably should have won.

Collazo we’ll remember for the goof of spelling his name improperly on the back of his jersey. Muniz, who spent most of the year in AA, debuted in that nightmarish 10-9 loss to the Nationals mopping up for Mr. I’m-Not-Devastated, and the seemingly innocent single run Muniz loomed large when the Mets’ 6-run rally in the ninth didn’t tie the game but left them one run short. Of all the disastrous Mets games last year, and there were plenty to choose from, that one probably burned me the most.

The Mets as expected activated Dave Williams 32 prior to Sunday’s getaway in Houston and the Astros summarily beat him silly. The question as to who would be demoted to make room was answered when Ricky Ledee 9 was optioned to AAA.

The 8-3 loss sent the Mets limping into the break still in first place, but hardly looking like a championship team. While injuries have been a part of the struggle, it’s the performance of the guys out there everyday — particularly the right side of the infield — that’s really been a drag. That and the fact that some Mets just seem … unhappy. There’s Reyes sulking after bouncing out and and failing to run out grounders. There’s Heilman and his hangdog expression. LoDuca blowing up at umpires and/or the press. Wagner flattening a teammate with a comment in the papers.

The Mets yesterday made the Anderson Hernandez promotion official, temporarily sending down lefty Dave Williams 32 to make room for him. Williams is expected to return in time for his next start. The recall comes in time to make Hernandez, who was dressed in No. 1, eligible for the postseason roster, along with the 12 other current position players and disablees Cliff Floyd 30 and Ramon Castro 11.

Having not called up recent signee Kelly Stinnett suggests the team is confident in Castro's return, though reports this morning say Stinnett's likely to be recalled now that rosters are exandable and Norfolk's season is winding to a close.

Generally, we can take or leave Old-Timers Days, but if you didn't wipe your eyes tonight you're either too young to remember or at the wrong address.

Throwback Night features the Met debut of lefty pitcher Dave Williams, the former Red we traded for in May, wearing the racing stripes and No. 32. Williams, it should be noted, is the third guy to wear No. 32 this year alone for the Mets. Rotten emergency starter Jeremi Gonzalez had it back in May and recently sacked pinch-hitter Eli Marerro took over in June.

In case you're wondering, that's not a record, though it ties for second: In 2004, the Mets trotted out four different stiffs in No. 6 (Ricky Gutierrez, Gerald Williams, Tom Wilson and Jeff Keppinger). We're impressed if you can even recall Tom Wilson's Met career.

We needn't even have to say it, but Heath Bell 19 was optioned to Norfolk to make room for Williams.